


Strike of Love

by Sturm_and_Drang



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: 20 bucks says you won't see it coming, F/M, Gen, awful lot of bouncing, completely sane people, slightly cracky, terrifying levels of forgiveness, the one true OTP
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-06
Updated: 2018-10-06
Packaged: 2019-07-26 01:20:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16209692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sturm_and_Drang/pseuds/Sturm_and_Drang
Summary: Juvia gets her hands on a love potion.Terror ensues.





	Strike of Love

**Author's Note:**

> This particular story was born in a discussion between a friend of mine and me. You see, he made a throwaway comment while making a point that I proceeded to take WAY too seriously. 
> 
> I’m actually kind of disappointed in myself for this one, not in terms of writing quality or the like, but in a sort of what-would-my-mother-say-if-she-knew-what-I-was-writing? sort of way.
> 
> Nonetheless, I hope you all enjoy it!

            Juvia crept through the streets of Magnolia, her heart aflutter with excitement and more than a little uncertainty. For you see, she had recently come into possession of a certain thing. A certain thing that could be the key to changing her life forever. A certain thing that had set her heart at war with her conscious.

            A certain thing that was actually a bottle.

            Of course, it was not the bottle that excited her so. If it were, then Juvia would be a very weird person indeed.

            And Juvia was _anything_ but a weird person.

            No, indeed not. What excited Juvia so was the contents of the bottle.

            It was a potion. More specifically, it was a love potion.

            Oh, she heard such things claimed before. Love potions were a dime-a-dozen in the trashy sort of magazines that Juvia absolutely _did not_ read, but all of those were scams and she certainly didn’t know that because she’d tried them.

            But this one _wasn’t._

            Juvia had been completing a job for a traveling witch. Not one of the cheap floozies she’d met once or twice at carnivals, but a true sorceress. Her name was Amora and Juvia had witnessed first-hand just how potent her magical lovemaking ability was.

            She had looked on in awe as Amora snapped her fingers and in seconds had a dozen men worshipping the ground she walked on.

            Juvia couldn’t quite remember what her mission for Amora had entailed. All she could remember was sharing a pleasant dinner with the sorceress, followed by a vague recollection of satin pillows, scented bath salts, and an awful lot of bouncing.

            But whatever Juvia had done, Amora must have been thoroughly satisfied. The sorceress had given her a bag full of jewels, the love potion, and a free invitation to visit her again if Juvia was ever in the mood.

            Which presented Juvia with a very serious dilemma of what should she do with it? Of course the immediate and obvious answer was to corner Gray when he was alone and lovingly force it down his throat. But… something deep inside Juvia protested to this act for some reason.

            Throughout her homeward journey, Juvia had been struggling to stamp out that little rebellious voice. But it was difficult; whatever part of her that was making such a fuss was bombarding her mind with vague and rhetorical questions.

            What was love? Was it real? If it was, did it truly count if you drugged someone into it?

All deep and profound questions; more importantly, they were questions that were standing in the way of Juvia getting her man and therefore not ones she had any patience for.

            And now she was nearing the guild—a proud and welcoming building that stood alone in the middle of its spacious buffer zone that the townspeople refused to live in for safety reasons.

            Juvia still couldn’t quite believe she was a member of Fairy Tail. She couldn’t believe that a group of such welcoming and wonderful people existed in real life. She slipped through the doors and found herself practically enveloped in a cloud of good cheer and comradely.

            Her eyes swept around the building. It was about half-full, but she couldn’t see the flash of the chiseled body and divine abs that had stolen her heart.

            Drat.

            Oh well, there was no need to go stalking through the streets looking for him like some kind of deranged psycho; not when she could lie in wait for him here like a completely sane person.

            Her belly growled and she gravitated towards the bar. She nodded respectfully to Mirajane and slid into a seat next to Levy.

            “Welcome back Juvia. Your mission go alright?” Levy asked distractedly, her brilliant orange quill flashing from side to side as she wrote page after page in a large book.

            “As well as Juvia could have hoped.”

            “I’m glad.” Levy shot her a grin before burying herself back in her writing. Juvia liked Levy. Her fellow bluenette had been very welcoming despite Juvia’s involvement in Phantom Lord and what her former guild had done to the word mage. They would often cross paths in the guild library and Levy would happily show Juvia where to find the most deliciously _scandalous_ books, as well as debate them, if Juvia was in the mood.

            Also, Juvia was at least seventy-three percent sure that Levy had no romantic interest in Gray. Which meant there was, at most, only a twenty-seven percent chance that Juvia might have to drown her in the future—not lethally, of course, merely to warn her off. Levy was a friend, after all.

            Juvia turned her attention back to the room at large, scanning it for her soon-to-be lover. Gray still wasn’t here. But that was fine, she was pretty sure he was still in the town so he’d stop by soon enough. That would give her time to plan what she was going to do.

            …Wait. What _was_ she going to do?!

            Juvia stared down at the bottle of love potion with a sudden renewed uncertainty. Only now did it occur to her that she hadn’t actually asked Amora how she was supposed to use it. Did she go with her original plan of forcing it down his throat? Many books she’d read suggested love potions needed to be ingested. But how did she make sure he fell in love with her specifically? Was she supposed to drink some as well? Then again, this wasn’t a novel; this was real life. Perhaps she was supposed to sprinkle it over herself like perfume and then ravish him? Or maybe sprinkle it over him and make him ravish her? she was fairly certain ravishing needed to play a role somewhere; she just wasn’t sure if it was the cause or the effect. 

            Perhaps the love potion wasn’t such a good idea after all…

            She was considering tucking the potion away when she heard the guild doors open and her Gray-sense went haywire. Juvia’s head snapped around and for a moment found herself struck dumb once more by the sight of the world’s most perfect man.

            And then the moment was ruined.

            With a yell and a burst of flame, Natsu had launched himself from his seat straight at the ice mage. They both hit the ground hard and immediately started wrestling, sending fire, frost, and clothes flying in every direction.

            Juvia seethed like a building storm as steam began to pour off her forehead.

            Natsu Dragneel _._ The salamander. The fire dragon slayer.

            _Her Love Rival._

            Oh, he went around screaming about how much he hated her dear, sweet Gray, but Juvia knew the _Truth!_ In matters of the heart, you couldn’t just look at what someone said; you had to look at how they acted as well. Natsu was always trying to put his hands all over Gray, wrestling him to the floor and rolling all around in a tangle of limbs and noise. As Juvia watched her Gray’s clothes fly off, she had to admit that she was jealous. 

            There was no time to delay! She needed to act quickly, lest the salamander steal her man from her.

            She raised the bottle before her eyes and sloshed it back in forth. She could feel the potion with her magic; meaning there was water in it. Which also meant she could manipulate it with her magic. She still didn’t know exactly which method to use, but if she wanted Gray, she would have to improvise.

            She’d just have to use them all.

            She glanced around, Levy’s nose was still buried in her book and Mira was off chatting with Elfman. Nobody was watching her. There was a small pop when Juvia uncorked the bottle and a puff of purple smoke wafted out of it. Juvia reached out with her magic and lifted the liquid out, leaving about a fourth behind—just in case she needed to drink some of it herself.

            She hurriedly tucked the bottle away and formed the floating liquid into a ball. Which she divided into two smaller balls: one to sprinkle Gray with, the other to make him drink. Slowly, taking care to look as natural as possible, she slid off her stool and meandered through the crowd of fairies, working her way ever closer to her target.

            She needed to be careful and pick her moment. After all, she wanted to hit Gray, _not_ Natsu. She had no interest in that vile, love-stealing flamethrower. Like a lioness, she held herself still, love bullets at the ready.

            Wait for it… wait for it… NOW!

            She had chosen her moment well, Gray had just gotten the upper hand and thrown Natsu to the ground. The lovely ice mage had climbed to his feet, his bare chest glistening with sweat and his mouth was open, as though he was asking her to give him her love.

            Juvia shot the potion like a rocket, straight and true as cupid’s arrow. Her heart swelled as the purple promise of love flew.

            Only to plummet as someone got in the way.

            "What do you think you are doing?” Erza demanded, rising out of the crowd like an iceberg and positioning herself between Juvia and the wrestling fairies.

            The potion splashed her in the back of the head, one after the other.

            Oh… _dear._  

            Erza stood very still, the purple liquid dripping from her hair and down her neck. The atmosphere within the guild became charged, like the god of thunder had raised his hammer and all the fairies had bated their breath just waiting for it to fall. Even Natsu and Gray had fallen silent, their eyes like saucers as they stared up at Erza.

            Very, very slowly, Erza turned. Her eyes locked on Juvia’s and suddenly the space between them had become no man’s land. 

            Erza took a step towards Juvia, the sound of her boots hitting the floor slamming into Juvia like a promise of doom. Juvia found her feet backpedalling of their own volition, carrying her away from her destruction as fast as they could… and then her back hit the wall.

            Some idle part of her mind noted that this must be what a deer felt like when the wolves began to circle. Juvia’s fingers scrambled against the wall as the redhead drew ever nearer, but to no avail. She thought about turning to water, throwing herself into the bar’s sink and down the drain. About letting gravity carry her out into the ocean were maybe, just maybe, Erza might not be able to find her. Not that she could act on those desires with Erza’s gaze pinning her to the wall like this.

            And then Erza stood before her, her face impassive and her hands behind her back.

            “You.” the word split the air like a tolling bell.

            “Y-yes.” Juvia whimpered.

            Erza’s head lowered.

            “Have mercy!” Juvia shrieked, throwing her hands over her eyes as Erza spoke.

            Juvia trembled, her eyes covered. After a few moments and a lack of armored fists pummeling her body, she peeked through her fingers and saw that Erza’s head was lowered, her body bending at the waist as she bowed low.

            “E-excuse Juvia?”

            “Please forgive me!” Erza repeated, bowing even lower.

            “What?”

            “I beg your forgiveness! When you first joined our guild, I did not take the time to properly welcome you. In that, I did you wrong. I therefore require your forgiveness!”

            “J-Juvia does not understand…”

            Erza’s head snapped up; her wild eyes making Juvia flinch back once more. Erza shot forward and clamped her hands onto Juvia’s shoulders.

            “I demand that you forgive me for the wrong I have done you!”

            “Juvia forgives you!” Juvia squealed, desperate to make it stop.

            “That’s not good enough!”

            “What?” Juvia’s mind began to fizzle out of sheer confusion.

            Erza let go of Juvia and took a step back.

            “Strike me.”

            "What?”

             “I can only imagine the emotional pain my refusal to acknowledge your presence must have inflicted. In order to make this right, I insist that you strike me.

            “J-juvia doesn’t think-“

            “Strike me!” The words cracked like a whip and Juvia’s hand shot up almost against her will. She lashed out with a torrent of water and fear, blasting Erza across the room and into the far wall.

            “Very good.” To Juvia’s horror, Erza got up; her armor dripping with water and a look of sweet satisfaction on her face “I can feel the sweet warmth of forgiveness and camaraderie flowing through me.” The expression of contentment disappeared and her head snapped around.

            “Gray!” Erza declared, turning towards the ice mage who froze in the act of edging towards the front doors

            “…yeah?” Gray asked warily.

            Erza marched over to him and bowed. “I demand your forgiveness!”

            Gray swallowed, eyeing the doorway longing “Uh… for what?”

            “I frequently give you a hard time about your disgusting and uncivilized habit of taking off your pants at a moment’s notice. You are my friend and yet I do not make exemption for the poor role model you had in your life growing up. It is inexcusable, and I demand your forgiveness.”

            “Uh… okay, wow.” Gray looked both terrified and a little offended. “That’s alright.” Gray shrugged, just a little hopelessly. “I, uh, forgive you.”

            “Not good enough! Strike me!”

            Juvia felt her legs give out and she slid limp to the ground, her mind gone blank from fear and relief. There was the sound of footsteps and Juvia felt someone put a hand on her shoulder.

            “Hey Juvia?”

            Juvia looked upward, Mirajane was crouching next to her, a worried look stamped across her face. “Y-yes?”

            “What exactly did you hit Erza with?”

            “I… it was-”

            There was a thud and a crash. Juvia glanced upwards. Erza’s head was buried in the side of the wall, her armor coated in a layer of frost. The titania was still for a moment then, like a zombie rising from the grave, she placed her hands against the wall and pulled her head out with a pop.

            “Most excellent!” She declared. “Natsu! Come here. I have much forgiveness to demand from you.”

            “Alright! Bring it on, Erza! Nobody is gonna forgive you harder than me!”

            “Uh oh.” Mira muttered. She stood, pulling Juvia to her feet. “Come with me.” She ordered. She led Juvia across through the room of flabbergasted fairies and pulled her behind the bar. Mirajane crouched down and pushed a red button on the underside of the bar. A shimmering barrier of magic popped into existence, encompassing the bar.

            “What-” Juvia began.

            “It’s a special barrier Levy designed for me to keep our daily brawls from destroying the bar… and to keep Cana out of the booze. It should keep us safe from Erza if she decides she needs more forgiveness from you.”

            “You’re welcome.” Levy piped up; having not moved from her seat, she was within the barrier as well. “So, any idea what’s up with Erza now?”

            “Yes, what _is_ up with Erza?” Mirajane shot Juvia a pointed look.

            “Juvia didn’t mean to!” Juvia wailed. “It was an accident.”

            “Oh, it’s okay,” Mira hushed her. “We’re all mages. We accidently hex each other all the time. I just want to know what you did.”

            “It- it was this.” Juvia sniffled, pulling the bottle. Mira snatched it from her hand and examined it with a critical eye.

            “Is this from Amora?” Mirajane asked.

            “The love mage?” asked Levy.

            “You know her?” Juvia asked, looking at Mira.

            Mira blinked, her face turning a little bit pink. “I, uh, yes. I’ve crossed paths with her once or twice back in my wilder days and— look, the details aren’t important, is this from her?” Mira shook the bottle lightly.

            “She said it was a love potion.”

            “Ah.” Mirajane nodded. “That explains Erza’s behavior. This is supposed to be ingested to work properly, not applied to the skin.”

            “Elfman, as a man, I demand you forgive me!”

            “Very well. As I man, I shall!” There was meaty thunk.

            “What was that?” Erza voice dripped with scorn. “Forgive me _harder!”_

            “Or maybe Erza just gets off on people’s forgiveness.” Levy commented, tapping her quill against her lip. “Or maybe it’s just getting hit. It certainly happens to her a lot…”

            “Did you really have to say that, Levy? Now I can’t stop thinking about it.”

            “But it kind of explains a lot, doesn’t it?”

            “It… does. Yes.” Mira admitted. “I suppose that, to her, the most intimate feeling might well be a friend’s forgiveness for a wrong. Maybe Amora’s potion just… amplified that feeling to stupid levels.”

            “Do you know how long it’s supposed to last?” Juvia asked, listening to the sound of Erza’s demands and the quiet footsteps of fairies trying to escape. There was a loud thunk, like a sword being buried in wood.

            “Nobody is leaving until I have been forgiven by each and every one of you!”

            “Oh it should wear off in awhile.” Mira waved off her concerns. “Amora’s spells usually last just long enough for a single night and possibly the morning after. You didn’t use all of it and Erza didn’t actually drink it. It shouldn’t last more than a few hours.” She poured herself a drink from under the counter. “Want some?” She held the bottle out to Juvia. 

            Juvia hesitated, then shrugged and took the bottle. She kind of wanted to forget about this whole thing anyway.

* * *

 

**Several hours later**

            “I have done it,” Erza declared. Strewn across the floor around her were dozens of Fairies, most of them cradling their hands and whimpering.  Those that weren’t down and out were huddled against the walls, eyeing her in fear. “I have experienced forgiveness from each and everyone of you—multiple times,” the fairies at her feet whimpered. Erza looked quite the worse for wear: her armor was battered; her hair was in disarray, and her face… was oddly unmarked.

            “While I appreciate your efforts, I have found that only one of you can give me a forgiveness that truly satisfies me.”

            The fairies stared up at her, each one fearing that they might be chosen. Erza reached down, and everyone flinched. Then Erza pulled back and held up her choice.

            “Are you _kidding_ me?” Natsu snarled, both of his hands bruised and swollen. “Happy!?”

            “Aye!” The blue cat basked in their disbelief, snuggling against Erza’s chest.

            “Indeed. Happy’s paws deliver a forgiveness that belies his tiny form. Out of all of you, Happy’s forgiveness truly fulfills my desires like nobody else.” Erza declared.

            “Aye!”

            “Happy hits harder than me.” Said Natsu, his body slumping to the ground as a cloud of gloom built up over his head. “I can’t believe it. Happy hits harder than me.”

            Erza turned on her heel and marched to the guildhall doors, pulling her sword out of the crack where she wedged it, she opened them and turned back once more.

            “And now we shall retire to my bedroom where we shall engage in a truly blissful bout of reconciliation.”

            “Aye! ...wait, what?” Happy’s eyes bugged out.

            “Come, sweet Happy, let us go and join each other in true exoneration.” 

            “No wait!” Happy wailed. “Natsu! I like being a bachelor, save me!”

            “Happy hits harder than me. Happy hits harder than me. Happy hits harder than—”

            “No—” the doors slammed shut, cutting off Happy’s cries. Mira looked around the room; taking in the dented walls, destroyed tables, and injured fairies.

            “Eh, Could have been worse.”

**Author's Note:**

> Is… is it possible? Have I truly created the one true OTP? 
> 
> I think I have…
> 
> I’m not apologizing.


End file.
